You're Still a Man
by Darth Tromeros
Summary: "They wanted a man, someone people could look up to, someone people would celebrate." Peggy comforts Steve over Bucky's death. Rated K plus for some language.


The bar was dim. Nobody was around except for one man sitting in a chair at the table. He wore a sullen face as he drowned another glass, rubbing his eyes. Pouring himself another glass he wished that somehow he could numb the pain.

A woman walked into the bar. "You're still here?" she asked, pulling a chair up next to him.

He glanced over at her and then back at the table. "Yep." He gulped down another glass.

"Steve," she said, resting her hand on his arm. "This isn't going to solve anything."

"It seems to be a solution to a lots of people's problems."

"All it does is put it off for another day." She removed her hand, her red lips slightly parted. "Steve, if you need someone to talk too—"

"Come on, Peggy. Since when have you been a generous woman?"

She recoiled slightly. "I understand you're upset, but yelling at me isn't going to make you feel any better."

He sighed and put his face in his hands. "I don't know what to do." He slid his hands off his face and ran them through his hair. "I just don't know what to do."

"It's okay to not know what your next move's going to be." She gave him a sad smile.

"But I'm the Star-Spangled Man with a plan."

"But you're also a _man_. You may have more than the average man, but that doesn't mean you aren't one. You still have feelings, still have relationships… you're just a special guy."

He looked over at her. "He was my friend, you know." He held the empty glass in his hands, glancing down into it now. "When I wasn't Captain America, I was just a wimpy kid who was beat up all the time. He was one of the only people who stood up for me." His eyes locked on hers. "If not _the _only."

"I want to say I understand," she started, "but I can't. I wish I could say so."

"No, you don't want to know," he answered back. "You should be happy right where you are."

"I've seen a lot of people die, Steve. But I don't think I'll ever understand how much it'll hurt to loose someone you love."

He stayed silent, running his finger around the rim. "I feel so guilty."

"It's not your fault."

"But I could've saved him!" Once again, his eyes were back on her face, but this time full of angst. "I could've done something to save him! I could've held on and pulled him up!"

"You may be Captain America, but you can't save everyone!" Her voice rose. "You're going to loose some people along the way. That doesn't mean you're a bad person! You're one hell of a guy, Steve Rogers! If you weren't, there would be no damn way you could be Captain America! Knowing that you're feeling guilty for something that was not your fault shows how much you really care, how great of a guy you really are! Oh, Steve, if only you could see how amazing you really are and stop focusing on the negatives! Look how many lives you've saved already!"

He thought about her words. All the soldiers he had led, all the soldiers he had saved. In America and the war grounds, he was a hero. He had a cause, and he was fighting for it. He supposed that that's really all that mattered. Was that was Peggy was trying to say?

"You don't need to do any more." Her voice was much softer now. "You've done enough to blow everyone away."

He gave a small grin. "Peggy." He glanced up at her one more time. "I'm made to do even more for people."

"But not to be a machine. They built you so they had a super soldier. They wanted a _man_, someone people could look up to, someone people would celebrate. They're not going to hate you because you lost one person. They're going to _admire _you for trying."

The room grew silent as they sat there, staring in opposite directions. He cleared his throat. "I told the owner I would lock up for him and give the key to him tomorrow."

"Mm."

They both rose from their chairs, turning to each other for one last time. Their eyes locked on one another's again, and they stood there for a couple of seconds before he hesitantly bent over and kissed her cheek. "Thanks," he murmured.

Her lips bent to form one last smile. "You're a great guy, Steve. Please, please remember that."

They both turned to leave.


End file.
